Wrong Love
by sugie sarah
Summary: Kel is at the palace and is going on an expedietion in a few days there is a ball and feelings arouse between Kel and Neal!


Chapter One- Familiar Faces and Dreaded Occasions  
  
Kel stretched and got out of bed to start practising with her glaive. She glanced outside at the sunny morning and the spring blooms. She sighed happily and then remembered. In three days she was going on another expedition. She sighed this time in disappointment and put on breeches and a shirt. She thought about how much she was going to miss this place and all the familiar faces when she went on the expedition, she wasn't quite sure who was coming, her knight master Rauol hadn't offered that piece of information. Kel was in her 3rd year as a page. She got breakfast and sat down at one of the tables and started picking at her food.  
  
"Why the long face, Kel?" asked Owen as he and Cleon sat down with her.  
  
"I'm leaving again on another expedition in three days" Kel said sorrowfully, "I've only been here a month and now I'll have to go and leave all of you behind"  
  
"It's alright, Kel" soothed Cleon giving Kel a kiss on the cheek. Kel and Cleon had been seeing each other for a few months already and were very close.  
  
Suddenly Kel felt a squeeze on her shoulder and she jumped a foot in the air and whirled around sword already drawn.  
  
"Hey Kel, it's just me Neal!" Neal laughed sitting down next to her and putting his plate on the table, "hey I've got some news I know your going to love!"  
  
"Come on what is it then?" Cleon demanded still eating his food.  
  
"There's going to be a ball tomorrow night! Some ambassadors from some other countries are coming and the ball is being held for them!" he almost shouted grinning, waiting for the look on their faces.  
  
Cleon choked on his food and yelled "NO! NO! NO! Why can't they have balls some other time, like when were not here!" As Kel started banging her head against the table in frustration and dread.  
  
"And to make it better instead of just serving we are invited and we have to be in formal wear" said Neal grinning again at the thought of all the beautiful ladies that he could ask to dance.  
  
"Uh! They think they would give us some warning! I don't have anything respectable to wear! I'll have to ask Laslaa! I'll have to leave now if I want to fit some training into the afternoon! UH, Damn this ball!" Kel stormed as she left the hall her friends hearing her mutterings before she turned the corner and out of the mess hall. Her friends tried to smother their laughs at their friend's annoyance as she left the mess hall, and burst out laughing when she turned the corner.  
  
Kel quickly saddled Peachblossom and rode into Corus toward her ex-maid's dress shop.  
  
"Laslaa I need your help! Their's a ball tomorrow night and I can't wear breeches!" Kel gasped as she burst into the dress shop.  
  
"Okay, Kel I wouldn't have time to make a new dress, but I have a dress that would fit you but I wouldn't be able to make another one and I don't have another one for a person as tall as you" she said nervously slowly going over to a chest and pulling out a dress made of green material, "also this material will make your eyes look even greener, go try it on"  
  
Kel went into a change room and put on the dress, "Laslaa I need your help with doing up the dress laces" Laslaa came and did up the laces and showed Kel where a mirror was.  
  
"Shit! I can't wear this look at how low the neckline is!" Kel said horrified looking herself up and down in the mirror. The dress made her eyes seem greener than ever and her hair that had grown quite a bit since she had been made a squire now fell to her shoulders in light brown waves. The dress was made for her; it clung in all the right places and had embroidery of golf leaves around the low neckline. It fell elegantly to her feet and swished as she moved.  
  
"You will wear it and you will look beautiful! And I myself will come up to the castle and help you get ready! And I think you should wear a corset as well!"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOO! I will not, you can't make me, I won't be seen dead wearing this dress and a corset!" Kel exclaimed.  
  
The next night a bit before the ball Kel looked at herself in the mirror and grimaced. Her face had a bit of face paint on it including lip paint and an emerald stone hanging on a gold chain accented the low neckline with the gold leaves on it. Her eyes looked huge and green, and her chest looked considerably larger thanks to the corset! The dress hugged and wrapped around all the right places and Kel was dreading the time when she would have to go to the ball and pretend she was having a good time.  
  
"Laslaa! I look like a lady!" pouted Kel straightening her skirts and grimacing as Laslaa brushed through her shoulder-length hair for what felt like the hundredth time. Kel had refused to have her hair up in the style the court ladies were wearing these days but Laslaa had refused to let Kel wear her hair tied back in a ponytail. So they had just let it be out for the ball and Laslaa grumbled that it did look better than if Kel's hair had been up. Laslaa left after that, a few minutes before the ball was about to start and made Kel promise that she would go the ball and not stay in her room.  
  
Suddenly Kel heard a knock on the door and realised with dread that the boys would be here now to get her nod of approval before going to the ball. She opened the door going behind the door so that nobody in the hallway would see her and Cleon, Neal and Owen filed in.  
  
"Hey Kel should I wear the blue tunic or the brown tunic" Cleon started and stopped as all the boys saw her.  
  
"Gosh, don't you look jolly!" gasped Owen.  
  
"Shit Kel! You look. You look." Cleon stammered obviously lost for words.  
  
"Kel! You look ravishing!" breathed Neal staring at her intently as her looked her up and down and his eyes rested on her chest.  
  
Kel blushed and crossed her arms over her chest, which made Neal smile though none of the other boys saw him; they were all looking at Kel!  
  
"Thank you! Well have you come for your inspection?" she asked croakily still remembering their compliments and especially Neal's stare, though she would never admit it!  
  
"Yeah! Isn't this jolly, even if it is short notice!" Owen said jollily smiling broadly.  
  
"OK!" she said, "stand in a line!" her hands now on her hips she walked up and down the line straightening tunics there and brushing messed up hair there. Finally they were all ready and they walked to the dancing hall together. Each thinking their own thoughts.  
  
I wonder if they'll have food there? I hope they do! Doesn't everyone look jolly tonight? Thought Owen happily.  
  
Kel looks great! I won't be able to bear it when she goes on that expedition! I don't know for sure if I'm going though I am going on an expedition on the same day. Cleon thought saddily.  
  
Kel looked really beautiful! Why am I feeling like this? Why is my hart beating so fast? I'm not even attracted to her! A confused Neal thought.  
  
What was that look that Neal gave me? Why am I feeling like a tonne of bricks has just fallen on my head? I'm not even attracted to him! A confused and annoyed Kel thought.  
  
When they got there Kel sat down on a chair and watched as Cleon talked to some other boys, Owen laughed heartily and talked with him and Neal flirted with a few stunning ladies off to the side. Kel suddenly felt a stab of jealousy and laughed to herself thinking that she just didn't want any other girl making Neal laugh.  
  
Suddenly she found Cleon in front of her, "Can I have this dance, Fair Lady?" he held a hand out and grinned mischievously.  
  
"Yes, you may but I'm not a Lady!" Kel replied getting up and grinning back. Unknown to them Neal looked on and felt his own stab of jealousy!  
  
What? I am not jealous! I just thought that she looked perfectly lovely sitting there sipping her drink and looking at everyone with that steady hazel gaze! Then Cleon came and got in the way! Now she's getting up to dance. Gosh these girls are boring I don't even know why I'm bothered with flirting with them! Neal thought angrily.  
  
Cleon and Kel danced for two dances then Neal came up and said, "Excuse me Cleon but you're not the only one who wants to dance with the most beautiful girl in the room!"  
  
Cleon laughed and walked off to get some food leaving Neal to take Kel's hands and start dancing with her.  
  
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Neal asked smiling.  
  
"As much as I can enjoy myself while attending a ball" Kel answered sourly, then smiling up at him, "You looked like you were enjoying yourself with the ladies over there!"  
  
"What can I say, they love me!" Neal said smugly.  
  
"HA, you wish lover boy!" Kel countered getting into the argument.  
  
"You can't talk! What's with you wearing a dress? Are you trying to seduce every man in the room? You look wonderful!" Neal said smiling at the blush on his friend's cheek. He reached a hand and stroked her cheek leaning over to whisper in her ear "you know you're bushing right?"  
  
"Get lost Neal!" Kel said pulling away smiling weakly.  
  
Later on that night Kel thought about that touch on the cheek and the feel of his breath in her ear and shivered involuntarily wrapping her blankets tighter around herself, though what she was feeling had nothing to do with her being cold. A few corridors away Neal thought about how he could smell her when he was whispering in her ear, and how he could feel her hart beat against his chest as he danced with her and lost himself in those hazel eyes.  
  
To be continued. 


End file.
